Craig MacTavish candidly says being an NHL general manager means making “hard decisions” which leads us to Ryan Smyth, who has played the second most games in Edmonton Oilers history but has a lot of hard miles on his battered chassis through 1,192 NHL games.

While kids like Teemu Hartikainen and Anton Lander are being test-driven right now to see where they fit for next season — Hartikainen will have to clear waivers for the first time so is almost a given to stick with the NHL club because he would never pass through unclaimed at his size — Smyth, at 37, isn’t just at centre, or on left wing. You can find him in limbo.

Smyth has another year at $2.25 million? Will he still play somewhere most nights, even with his offence dwindling? Will they tell him after this season that he’ll only play 40-50 games next season because they don’t see him as a fourth-line centre (Lander could play there or they could resign Jerred Smithson or bring back Eric Belanger for a third year at $1.75 million) and they want to go with different people (read younger people) on a third-line? Will he have the stomach for that much sitting? Or will the Oilers broach the last-report, extremely dicey subject of an amnesty buyout if they don’t feel he’s got the game anymore and offer him a job in the organization, say, tutoring kids like Hartikainen on what it takes to be a power forward and mostly an NHL professional?

The amnesty buyout would be unlikely, but Smyth’s role is changing, and he admits his lack of production is troublesome, no matter where he’s playing.

“I’m under their contract. I can’t sit here and speculate what they’re going to do. I can still help the team,” he said.

Smyth has two goals in 41 games, and 10 points this season, no goals in 26 straight games, which certainly sticks in his craw, no matter where he’s playing — fourth-line centre, fourth-line winger, third-line winger, or on the penalty kill. He had two goals and 11 points in about half a season in his rookie NHL year when he was 19 and feeling his way into the league in 1995.

He’s come full-circle, at least in statistical terms. That was fine when Smyth was a teenager and a first-round draft pick and the Oilers knew they had a jewel eventually, but is it fine when he is twice as old? He still is in remarkably good shape, save for the busted bones and hundreds of stitches over the years, but does he have the legs any longer to go with his huge heart and his head?

One long time pro scout feels for Smyth right now, all the battering he’s taken for close to two decades.

“He’s been a warrior, a great warrior,” he said, “but when he picks them up and puts them down now, they (feet) come down in the same spot. I don’t know if he’s got the legs anymore.”

Smyth, never gifted with Taylor Hall’s speed, says he can still get from A to B.

“I still think I can keep up. I honestly do,” said Smyth. “There’s games where I feel I have a lot left in the tank. The short season hasn’t been a problem. Sometimes in back-backs I feel better the second game.”

He says he’ll know when he’s had enough. He says he’ll be able to look in the mirror as MacTavish did at the end of his time when he wasn’t getting much work with the St. Louis Blues, still trying hard but not accomplishing what he used to.

“I don’t think of that (quitting). I know I have some life left in me. I can help in different areas,” said Smyth.

“I’m not making excuses … I know I haven’t played as well as I can. Throughout games this year, it’s (his play) been inconsistent. I have to get back to that whether I’m playing centre or the wing,” said Smyth. “Obviously my offensive production hasn’t been as good as it should be. It’s like my first year. I had two goals. Same sort of deal. I played 48 games that year.”

“For sure, internally, I’m thinking, ‘Two goals? I’m better than that.’ I’m not trying to sugar-coat this. It’s not good when you can remember the games you scored in. One was my birthday (Feb. 21 against Minnesota, his last goal). The other was short-handed (against Vancouver Feb. 4),” he said.

“I’m playing a different role and it makes me think of defensive play more than the offensive zone. I’m trying to be an all-around player.”

He was told coming into this season, his role and ice-time would be changing, so he wasn’t taken aback by that.

“We spoke from the get-go after Ryan signed and we said he could be on the fourth line, he could be on the first line, on the PP or PK. He could play left, right or centre. He’s been a good role player for us this year,” said coach Ralph Krueger. “He’s been one of the leading penalty-minute players in the National Hockey League. I believe he’s in the top 15, which players don’t get much credit for. He’s not been asked to do much on power play but in the stretch when we made the important push where we were in eighth place at game 35, he was very good at dealing with his role (centre).”

“He’s been asked to do certain things and he’s done them as a pro, remaining positive with his attitude, a good voice on the bench and in the room.”

Can Smyth still keep up?

“This isn’t the time to analyze who, or what or where we’ll go next year,” said Krueger. “The speed of the game seems to be going up every year. I can’t believe how much it’s increased. As a player ages the pace becomes a factor, but I don’t think it’s become one for Ryan this year. He’s done what we asked him to do, with his ability.”

Playing centre means he’s versatile, never a bad thing for a coach, but Smyth’s best work has always been on the wing, getting to pucks below the circles in the offensive zone. There’s been times this year when he hasn’t got to loose pucks around the net like he used to. There haven’t been as many stuff opportunities.

“I’ve shown that (stuffing it sometimes like days of old) but it hasn’t gone in. I feel the energy when I’m down low,” he said.

Smyth doesn’t think 37 is too old.

“There’s two players who stick out in mind. Dave Andreychuk won a Stanley Cup in Tampa, still effective at that age. He was better in his younger years but still defined his role and delivered,” said Smith, “And the other guy is Mark Recchi (he quit at 42). Consistent throughout a lot of playoff series. We faced him in Carolina in 2006 when he won and he did it in Boston, too. I’m not comparing myself to those guys at all, but they’ve done it and I can help out, too.”